Pneumatically-operated railway gate



Aug. 9, 1927.

F. L. BECK PNEUIIATICALLY OPERATED RAILWA L GATE Filed Sept. 9. 19 26 5 Sheets-Sheet l um Qm gywantoc Gum nu F. L. B-ECK Aug. 9, 1927.

h Shoot 2 Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

UNITED STATES rrrzrruerr Lenoir; or BARKSDALE, TEXAS.

*PNEUMATIGALLY-OPERATED RAILWAY GATE.

Application filed September 9, 1926. Serial N 'O. 134,435.

The present invention relates to pneumatically operated railway gates having for an object the provision of mechanism, movement of which is initiated by the train, when it approaches a highway, to permit the gates to be gradually loweredacross the highway into an obstr cting position on both sides of the railway. I g

Another object of the invention is to. provide gate operating mechanism for railroads which include train carried means which is adjustable for operative contact with track mechanism on either side of the track to in sure lowering of the gates immaterial of whether the train is moving forward or backward.

'A' further object of the invention is to provide pneumatically operated gates for railroads. which graduallyclose as the train approaches the highway, the mechanism including movable means which functions immaterial of whether the train is moving forward or backward, the air pressure being relieved as soon as the train reaches the high- Way to permit the gates to be mechanically actuated into an open position.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the present preferred form of the invention taken in connection with the'accompanying drawings, wherein i Fig. 1 is atop plan view of pneumatically operated gates constructed in accordancewith theipresent invention illustrating their application. V

Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe locomotive carried means of the present invention illustrating .its application.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of gateseon this invention a railway generally designated r is shown, which embodies tracks 8 of standard construction and is intersected by a highway '9. Although only a single track is illustrated in the drawing itis of course to be understood that the same mechanism is applicable to all tracks intersected by the highway. v I v T he gates are mounted in the customary manner on both sides of the-railway and each gate consists of apair of elements one located on each side of the highway and each consisting of a base 10 which has acylindrical housing 11 issuing from its upper face. A standard or tower 12 extends from the upper terminal ofthe housing 11 and eX' tends for an appreciable distance thereabove terminating in a bifurcated upper end which receives a pulley wheel 13. lVlounte d within the housing 11 and formed integral with the base thereof is a cylinderlt which extends up'wardlyin the housing to a point approxiinately midway the ends of the latter the upper end thereof being closed except for a slot 15 which is formed therein. Reciprocally mounted in thecylinder 1l is a piston 16 whichis equipped. with a wrist pin 17 the latter being-engagedby one end of a piston rod 18. The opposite end ofsaid rod extends through the slot and is revolv ably engaged, as ind-icatedpat 1 9, with one endof a link 20. The opposite end of the link is secured to a shaft 21 carriedby the top of the housing" 11, the shaft having also secured thereto one end of gate element 22. The outer end of the gate element is engaged by one end of a'cable 23 the intermediate portion of the latter :beingtrain ed around the pulley 13 while the opposite end isengaged by a weight 24, communicating with th'e cylinder 14 through the base lO is an air inlet pipe 25 and an air outlet pipe 26., The air inlet pipe provided with'a one-way valve to permit ingress of airinto the cylinder name preventing egress of air from the cylinder through this pipe.

Conversely, the outlet pipe'26 is provided with a one -way valve which permits the egress of airfrom the cylinder and prevents ingress of air .thereinto v through the (outlet pipe. The inlet pipe 25gleads to and is in communication with pumps, a manner hereinafter described, while the' outletflpipe 26 extends to a point in close proximity'to one ofthe rails S and terminates in a valve 27 which is adapted to be impinged by the flanges of the train wheels inorder to open thevalves and permit air to be discharged from the cylinder 14, v

.Arranged on each side of the highway-9 is a series of air conduits or pipes, theseries llU on one side being designated 28, 29, 30, and 31, while the series on the other side is desig nated 28, 29, 30, and3l. Each of the conduits on both sides of the highway is equipped with live pumps 32 which are identical in construction. vAs illustrated to advantage in Fig. 6 each pump consists of a cylinder 33 which has a piston 34 reciprocally mounted therein and equipped with a piston rod which operates through one end of the cylinder and terminates in a roller 36. The opposite end of thecylinder 33 is closed except for a pair of openings which receive nipples 37 and 38. The nipple 37 is in communication with one of the conduit pipes such as the pipe 28 illustrated in Fig. 6, while the other nipple 38 is adapted to be placed in communication with a source of air supply in a manner well known in the art. Each of the nipples is provided with a valve 39 so as to permit the air to flow in only one direction therethrough. For instance, the air can flow only into the cylinder through the nipple 38 and carrflow only from the cylinder through the nipple 37. 'As illustrated to advantage in Fig. 1 the conduits 23 and 29 extend only to the cylinders 14 on one side or the railway while the conduits 30 and 31 extend only to the cylinders on the opposite sides or the railway. Correspondingly the conduits 28 and 29 are in circuit with the conduits 28 and 29 while the conduits 30 and 31' are in circuit with the conduits 30 and 31. Each of the conduits is provided with a one-way valve 39 through which the air is permitted to pass in the direction indicated by the arrows in the drawings. Manifestly, therefore, as the pistons 34 are forced downwardly in their cylinders the air in the cylinders is forced through the conduits into the cylinders 14: through the pipes 25, thereby elevating the piston 16 and permitting the gate elements to be lowered into an obstructing position across the highway 9 in an apparent manner.

In order to urge the pistons 34: downwardly in the cylinders 33 suitable locomotive carried means is provided generally designated 40. This means in the present instance consists of a substantially V shape plate or abutment the opposite ends of which have portions 41 extended therefrom and curled about rods 42 which extend transversely across a locomotive 4:3. The abutment is sutficiently wide to extend completely across four conduits so as to simultaneously impinge against rollers 36 of one set of pumps. In the present instance five sets of pumps are in communication with each series of conduits and the sets are spaced a predetermined distance which in actual use is about 120 feet apart. l Vhen the abutment strikes the first set of pumps the pistons 16 receive the first impact and as to the opposite side of the locomotive and 4 this may be done through the medium of a lever 4A which is pivotally mounted on the locomotive and it desired may be actuated from the cab. The operation of the pumps in order to urge the gate elements into a closed or obstructing position is identical. The gates are closed and are permitted to be opened in the same identical manner immaterial of whether the train is'moving in a forward direction over the highway or backing thereover, it being only necessary that the abutment l-O be shifted from one side to the other in the manner already described.

The pistons 34: are positively and automatically elevated by springs 35, one of which encircles each of the piston rods 35. The lower end of each spring gimpinges against the top of the cylinder while the upper end of the spring is anchored on the piston rod. In this way the rollers 36 are maintained at the desired height to be engaged by the abutment 10. The shape or the abutment 4:0 is likewise important since it permits the. abutment to wipe over the rollers 36 without entailing a sharp impact besides permitting the abutment to function when the locomotive moves in either direction. Furthermore, by providing a plurality of sets of pumps all of the gate ele ments are simultaneously but gradually lowered.

It is of course to be understood that various changes may be made in the invention within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

VVhat I claim is 1. A railway gate operating mechanism including gates mounted on both sides of the railroad, a series of air conduits and pumps carried thereby, arranged near each track on opposite sides of the highway, a locomotive carried means cooperable with said pumps to close the gates, said means being adjustable tor coaction with the pumps of either series of conduits.

2. A railway gate operating mechanism for highways including gates mounted on duits and permit closing of the gates,and means for coaction with the pumps arranged near the tracksacross the highway to be impinged by the locomotive wheels for rel-easing the conduits and permitting the opening of the gates.

3. In combination with a railroad intersected by a highway, gates mounted on opposite sides of the railroad and operable into closed position across the highway, means for closing said gates including mechanism mounted along the railroad on each side of the highway and in operative communication with said gates, and a. train carried abutment arranged on one side of the train to engage the mechanism on one side of the highway for closing the gates when the train is moving in a forward direction, said abutment being movable to the oppositeside of the train for engagement with the mechanism on the opposite side ot the highway to close the gates when the train is moving backwards.

4. In combination with a railroad intersected by a highway, gates mounted on opposite sides of the railroad adapted to be closed across the highway, a series of pumps arranged along the railroad on opposite sides of the highway and on opposite sides I of the railroad, said pumps being in operative communication with the gates, train carried means engageable with the series of pumps on one side of the highway to close the gates when the train is moving in a forward direction, said means being adjustable for engagement with said pumps to cause closing of the gates when the train moves backwards over the highway, and train engaging means arranged along the track near the highway to release said ates when the train moves over the highway.

5. In combination with a railroad intersected by a highway, gates mounted on opposite sides of the railroad and on opposite side of the highway, means mounted along the railroad on each side of the highway and in operative connection with the gates, and locomotive carried means arranged on one side of the locomotive to coact with the means on one side of the highway when the i FITZHUGI-I L. BECK. 

